With the exception of that 33-14 WC game thrashing, most of the recent Pat/Raven games seem to come down to the wire, with the Ravens finding a way to come up just short (with the exception of this season). I think it will come down to the end yet again, with one team leading, but the other team having the ball with a chance to win on their last possession.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

With the exception of that 33-14 WC game thrashing, most of the recent Pat/Raven games seem to come down to the wire, with the Ravens finding a way to come up just short (with the exception of this season). I think it will come down to the end yet again, with one team leading, but the other team having the ball with a chance to win on their last possession.

Just hoping its us in the final minute and no one drops the ball. I am very confident in our kicking game these days.

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I was wrong to ever doubt the powers of Lou Lamoriello.
IN LOU WE TRUST @Manta04

That's obsurd. People will be betting Baltimore left and right, that line will move.

NO! I don't want the Vegas gambling influence to shift the momentum.

The Patriots are an offensive juggernaut! They dismembered Houston and beat us last year in the AFC Championship game.They should pass and run all over our ancient mediocre defense and Belichek should be able to handle our "Pop Gun" offense. The spread should be at least 12 points

Edited by MantaRay, 14 January 2013 - 11:46 AM.

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I was wrong to ever doubt the powers of Lou Lamoriello.
IN LOU WE TRUST @Manta04

Just hoping its us in the final minute and no one drops the ball. I am very confident in our kicking game these days.

BB's Ds have struggling in that spot for several years now, but as we are seeing, Ds not being able to stop their opponents on final drives is becoming almost commonplace. Coaches have to start adjusting their end-game strategies on offense...it's a different NFL now, and if your team has the ball with a lead and a chance to finish the game, for the love of God, try to get some first downs! This unimaginative, play not-to-lose, 3-rushes to the line of scrimmage nonsense is really starting to bite teams in the ass. Have some confidence that your offense can get it done!

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976, 14 January 2013 - 11:56 AM.

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THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

OMG, Love all the pundits already annointing New England the AFC Champions. ESPN in particular see's no need to even play on Sunday, as they will just blow the Ravens out. LOVE IT.

I don't get that. This has close game written all over it.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

Manta, links? I looked on ESPN and I didn't see any of what you described.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

CR76, I know the Pats have let you down many times, so you try and stay humble as a fan. I like that..., but this doesn't have close game written all over it. I would love for this to be as close as possible, but I don't see it right now. The Ravens have one pass rusher right now in Kruger. NE's protection has been as good as ever it seems. The Ravens have a banged up Suggs, and way passed their primes Reed and Lewis. I just don't see how Baltimore will get their stops. Add in NE rushing the ball as good as it has in how many years?

Defensively, NE has made a lot of strides. It isn't perfect, but I am not seeing them let Smith get behind their defense like he did early in the year and last week. Their run defense looks really solid too.

For this game to be close, I think Baltimore needs a few big special teams plays, and benefit from some lucky bounce or muff punt or something.

Again, I hope for a really good game, but how is Balt getting enough stops? And I don't have so much faith in Jim Caldwell putting together the perfect game plan for Flacco to go score for score with Brady.

0

"The Stanley Cup has fallen from the Stars. The new millennium has its first Stanley Cup Champion, and it's the New Jersey Devils." Mike Miller calling the Devils winning the Stanley Cup.

"It goes to the captain and then there are handoffs during a skate around the ice" Mike Emrick as Scott Stevens is being presented the Stanley Cup.

After Baltimore got gifted a win by divine providence Saturday, I'm not discounting the 'Ray Lewis' mojo anymore...but I do think the Pats win a close game. They did lose to them earlier in the season, and now have Gronk out for good but they're a better team and at home.

0

"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

CR76, I know the Pats have let you down many times, so you try and stay humble as a fan. I like that..., but this doesn't have close game written all over it. I would love for this to be as close as possible, but I don't see it right now. The Ravens have one pass rusher right now in Kruger. NE's protection has been as good as ever it seems. The Ravens have a banged up Suggs, and way passed their primes Reed and Lewis. I just don't see how Baltimore will get their stops. Add in NE rushing the ball as good as it has in how many years?

Defensively, NE has made a lot of strides. It isn't perfect, but I am not seeing them let Smith get behind their defense like he did early in the year and last week. Their run defense looks really solid too.

For this game to be close, I think Baltimore needs a few big special teams plays, and benefit from some lucky bounce or muff punt or something.

Again, I hope for a really good game, but how is Balt getting enough stops? And I don't have so much faith in Jim Caldwell putting together the perfect game plan for Flacco to go score for score with Brady.

In fairness, the Pats have had a hell of a run since their last Super Bowl win...I am hard on them sometimes, and BB in particular, but that's because I know the Brady era will be ending before much longer. Great QBs are so hard to find (and the Pats found theirs completely by accident). Just ask teams like the Dolphins. Even if Brady never wins another Super Bowl, a lot of teams would love to have had a run like his, post SB-win #3.

I would love for this game to turn out the way you say, but I've seen the Patriot offense get shut down in the playoffs before...and seen BB get outcoached...and Baltimore/NE games just seem to have a way of being close to the very end.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

In fairness, the Pats have had a hell of a run since their last Super Bowl win...I am hard on them sometimes, and BB in particular, but that's because I know the Brady era will be ending before much longer. Great QBs are so hard to find (and the Pats found theirs completely by accident). Just ask teams like the Dolphins. Even if Brady never wins another Super Bowl, a lot of teams would love to have had a run like his, post SB-win #3.

I would love for this game to turn out the way you say, but I've seen the Patriot offense get shut down in the playoffs before...and seen BB get outcoached...and Baltimore/NE games just seem to have a way of being close to the very end.

Great QBs can be hard to find, but a lot of teams are in good hands moving forward. They just so happen to be in the NFC. Right now the NFC is such a stronger conference than the AFC and part of that is why NE always looks so dominant. They have enjoyed playing 6 games against inferior teams for a decade now except for the odd year. This year it was as easy as it has ever been. But you look around and you see the QB struggles in the AFC East and in the South in Tenn and Jacksonville (maybe Houston. Schaub is nothing to right home about). The West with Oakland and KC and now San Diego. There are only about 4 solid QBs in the AFC.

The NFC has RGIII, Romo, Manning, Vick, Brees, Cam, Freeman, Ryan, Kaepernick, Wilson, Bradford Rodgers, Stafford, Cutler. So NE can do a lot of successful things because they have Brady, but I do wonder how they would fair in the NFC. After all, they went 1-3 against the NFC this year compared to 11-1 against the AFC. Playing a lot of bad teams can overrate how good you are. We see that with these "great" defensive teams like the Broncos and Texans who feast on bad teams, but really aren't that special.

So with that in mind, you have a right to question BB because it is still undetermined if NE can ever overcome a bad game by Brady. And NE needs to take advantage of the Brady years because it won't be easy anymore without him.

0

"The Stanley Cup has fallen from the Stars. The new millennium has its first Stanley Cup Champion, and it's the New Jersey Devils." Mike Miller calling the Devils winning the Stanley Cup.

"It goes to the captain and then there are handoffs during a skate around the ice" Mike Emrick as Scott Stevens is being presented the Stanley Cup.

I don't make too much out of the NFC thing, as far as how the Patriots played against them...they usually play just fine against NFC teams. The losses came by a total of 10 points, and the only team that they really looked bad against was San Francisco. The defense, while still suspect in my eyes, is better than it was earlier this season, when Kyle Arrington and Devin McCourty were getting roasted at the corners on a routine basis. Moving McCourty to safety has saved McCourty's career...he couldn't have continued to be a corner much longer.

There is no doubt, Brady's overall phenomenal play since 2007 (187 TDs against just 45 INTs in that stretch, over what is basically 5 full seasons) has covered up a lot of Belichick ills...in Brady's last five full seasons, the Patriots have scored 589, 427, 518, 513, and 557 points...even in the year Brady missed, the Pats managed a solid 410 points. And that has covered up some God-awful play by the defense, though the acquisition of Talib has at least gotten the Patriots D back to respectable. Like I've said, I feel for Brady, because he's known a lot of weeks that he has no choice but to score 30+ for his team to win, and the fact that he has been so prolific a passer has helped the NE D immensely...teams make boneheaded "gift" plays against NE's D constantly, because they feel like they're forced to keep pace with Brady's offense.

In fairness, the offense has not been as good in recent playoff seasons as it has been in the regular season. Some of that is due to regular-season bullying that puffs up the regular season offensive numbers. But like I have said, right now, the Patriots over the last several years have morphed into Peyton Manning's Colts...a team that hasn't been living up to its regular season teases. This is a lot of the reason I have trouble feeling like any playoff game is an easy one for the Patriots. Though NE's D has made some strides this season, and is playing better than they have in years, would I trust that unit and BB with a 6-point lead and the other team having the ball with a minute-and-a-half to go? Not quite. They still make me very nervous. And even if they beat Baltimore and Brady gets playoff win #18 (incredible when you think about it, in that he will likely add to that total before he's done), but lose in the Super Bowl, there will be a lot of critics.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

I can't see this game being anything other than close, no matter how I look at it. I still don't get the 9-point spread.

0

THE NHL MUST LOVE THE DEVILS - from who else? A RANGER fan![Mark Messier]: A big, bald attention whore with a stupid Easter Island-lookin face. - from who else? DaneykoIsGod!

Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

Martin Brodeur: THE MOST ALL-TIME WINS!, 12 straight seasons of 30+ wins, 3 Stanley Cups, 4 Vezina Trophies, and zero respect from too many so-called Devils "fans" who are either too young or too bandwagon to remember the much darker days of Sean Burke, Craig Billington, Bob Sauve, Alain Chevrier, and the talented but overwhelmed Chico Resch, among many others.

It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

#30 FOREVER!

20 out of 1,946 njdevs.com members agree: CR1976 is the Most Knowledgable Poster of 2008! Victory is mine...oh yes, victory is mine!

I can't see this game being anything other than close, no matter how I look at it. I still don't get the 9-point spread.

I mean you have to understand the 9 point spread, right? The public would bet that spread up if it started at 7 to 9 in a matter of minutes. NE is one hell of a public team and they covered the Texans spread fairly easily.

0

"The Stanley Cup has fallen from the Stars. The new millennium has its first Stanley Cup Champion, and it's the New Jersey Devils." Mike Miller calling the Devils winning the Stanley Cup.

"It goes to the captain and then there are handoffs during a skate around the ice" Mike Emrick as Scott Stevens is being presented the Stanley Cup.

I mean you have to understand the 9 point spread, right? The public would bet that spread up if it started at 7 to 9 in a matter of minutes. NE is one hell of a public team and they covered the Texans spread fairly easily.

Hoping the spread goes to 10!

0

I was wrong to ever doubt the powers of Lou Lamoriello.
IN LOU WE TRUST @Manta04

I mean you have to understand the 9 point spread, right? The public would bet that spread up if it started at 7 to 9 in a matter of minutes. NE is one hell of a public team and they covered the Texans spread fairly easily.

I could understand a 7.5 point spread I suppose, but 9 does seem excessive. SF being a 4.5 point favorite on the road is a bit odd too.

0

"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

I could understand a 7.5 point spread I suppose, but 9 does seem excessive. SF being a 4.5 point favorite on the road is a bit odd too.

That is just the betting public reacting to last weekend's San Fran win. Overreacting to Kaepernick's one great game and forgetting about how awful GB's defense is. The line opened at 2.5 or 3, I'd imagine. Could never bet on a team giving 4.5 on the road. Just ridiculous.

0

"The Stanley Cup has fallen from the Stars. The new millennium has its first Stanley Cup Champion, and it's the New Jersey Devils." Mike Miller calling the Devils winning the Stanley Cup.

"It goes to the captain and then there are handoffs during a skate around the ice" Mike Emrick as Scott Stevens is being presented the Stanley Cup.